Bill Gates - Good or Bad ?
We have heard a lot about Bill Gates and we have differring opinions. I for one use windows on my desktop and Linux on the server side, so in some ways I am a hybrid.
First of reports of Bill Gates being overly aggresive in pushing Windows, I really think this is what capitalism is all about. When there is competition, you are bound to see clash of opinions.
While Bill Gates was keeping Windows in the forefront, his foundation was donating millions of dollars for research to find cures for diseases that the big pharmaceutical companies have refused to venture into as they do not find it a profitable proposition (cure for Malaria for example).
At the same time Windows has enhanced my productivity manyfold. I have tried Linux on the desktop, and I must say that inspite of being a techine I have failed in realizing it's full potential. I have seen Linux gurus do amazing things with it, but not me. I think when my senior citizen parents started to browse the net and send email on their Windows 95 PC, I was sold. I doubt they would have had much success on a Linux desktop.
On the server side of things, I am confident that my parents will have no need to step into. This is where I find Linux a great cost effective choice, also I have an advantage being somewhat savvy as Unix based developer.
So inspite of being hybrid in my tech choices, I am a BIG fan of Mr. Gates. I am sad that he has decided to spend less time in the day-to-day activities of Microsoft. Steve Jobs of Apple only recently had to step down due to health reasons, and Larry Ellision of Oracle is still going strong.
